Existing methods of organizing and presenting scheduling data for irrigation controllers can result in high wireless data transmission costs, and long transmission times to communicate schedule settings and adjustments to irrigation controllers that are part of a distributed architecture irrigation control systems. This is especially problematic in remote areas in which cellular and other wireless infrastructure may be lacking. The existing methods can also lack flexibility in irrigation controller operations with regard to operation of simultaneous zones, operation of zones out of numerical sequence, and efficiently scaling irrigation cycle durations while maintaining the time and flow rate proportions between zone operations.
One method for wireless controllers is to always send down a new schedule over a wireless network to the controllers in the field. This method results in high transmission costs and long transmission times.
Another method is to increase the number of programs. The number of programs is increased to the number of simultaneously run zones or a greater number. This works, but results in a system that is not well suited to use in a distributed architecture where schedule changes must often be communicated over wireless connections with performance limitations and significant data costs. It also does not provide an efficient method for running zones out of numerical order, or for communicating and applying adjustment factors to account for changing irrigation requirements.
Still, another known solution is to provide for individual zone control by sending a complete separate schedule for each zone. This approach provides for flexibility in operations, at the cost of increased volume and complexity of scheduling data, and of increased complexity of user interface.
Accordingly, a need exists to overcome the problems with individual pump station control while reducing data transmission over wireless networks.